If raises are, in part, an acknowledgement of a job well done, I wonder what it is that makes the Guilford County commissioners think they should be awarded a 41 percent increase in pay.
We have Trudy Wade who can't concede, Billy Yow and Skip Alston who are both obvious racists, criminal warrants between two members who cannot treat one another with respect, and agendas that are rarely agreed upon. The division between parties is so significant that logic and judgment seem to have gone out the window. Now they're down to, "I'll support your proposal if you'll support mine." Never mind whether the vote is the best use of taxpayer money.
The Guilford County Board of Commissioners is an embarrassment to our city. Our board is quick to want everyone investigated/audited, engages in discussions about a review board for our local law enforcement, and squabbles over too much "pork" in the budget.
Meanwhile, they have become the highest-paid board in the state, and who oversees their actions? We, the taxpayers, do.
I hope that when elections roll around again, we'll be smarter about our voting decisions. Is it all about political parties rather than leadership and representation?
Martha Bennett
Greensboro
Comments (4)
Your letter reveals the root cause of the problem: voters need to be smarter. Alas, it seems most voters are, for whatever reason, drones at the polls and our politicians count on that. They are more interested in what Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are doing than with what is going on in their own counties. Maybe we could get a couple of commissioners to date girls 20 years younger than them, then people would pay attention.
Posted by Jay | July 5, 2005 7:31 AM
Martha,
You forgot to mention by name our fearless and noble leader, Chairman Bruce Davis. He's a wonderful representation of governmental excellence. At least, he will be if he can get his taxes paid.
Posted by Dean Wormer | July 5, 2005 7:55 AM
The Guilford County "Board of Commissioners", a term we use now with derision, is truly an embarassment to the citizens of this entire county. It is outrageous that they should vote themselves a raise to become the highest paid commissioners in the state. Most companies I have worked for and consulted with had "pay for performance".....in that scenario, the "commissioners" would be REDUCING their pay, not adding to it.....or it could be they are all aspiring stand-up comics and are paying themselves for their "high comedy performance" in which case they should pay themselves even more.
Posted by mike crouch | July 5, 2005 8:47 AM
"The Guilford County "Board of Commissioners", a term we use now with derision, is truly an embarassment to the citizens of this entire county. It is outrageous that they should vote themselves a raise to become the highest paid commissioners in the state."
Amen to that, Mike. The thing that gets me is the sheer arrogance that some of them exhibit when questioned about it. They truly believe that, nothwithstanding the fact that the county is in a financial crunch, they are due this raise.
I wish I could get a 41 percent raise for doing so little.
Posted by SC | July 5, 2005 12:52 PM